In the Weft India iflands, from the time of the appearance of the first joint, the cane acquires a fresh joint nearly every week, for the space of 40 or 50 weeks; whereas in the King of France's botanic garden at Paris, M. Thouin fhewed the author a cane which had been brought from America in a pot ten years before; and which, in all that time, had got only two joints out of the ground. To know a plant therefore thoroughly, fays Mr. Cazaud, we fhould ftudy it in the cli mate to which it belongs.'

From the laft article in this volume, the meteorological journal of the royal fociety, we learn that the variation of the needle, in July 1778, was 22 degrees, 20 minutes.

next.

The MATHEMATICAL Articles will be reviewed in our

ART. VI. A fight Sketch of the Controverfy between Dr. Priestley and his Opponents, on the Subject of his Difquifitions on Matter and Spirit. In a Letter to a Friend. 8vo. Is. Becket. 1780.

TH

HE ingenious artist, who has here undertaken a delineation of the controverfy between Dr. Priestley and his Anfwerers, profeffes in the most modeft terms, to give only a flight sketch, or the mere outlines of the ground on which the metaphyfical and religious combatants have exerted themselves. His outlines, however, are far from being deftitute of strong fight and fhade; nor is a little warm colouring wanting occafionally. He declares himself to be no difciple of Dr. Priestley, but nevertheless defirous of bearing a willing tribute to his merit;' particularly in expofing the partial, erroneous, and, in one or two well known inftances, wilfully falfe accounts, that have been given of his doctrine, and its tendency.

On the prefent controverfy, fays our Author, Dr. Priestley hath had the misfortune of being misunderstood, or misrepre fented, beyond any other writer of rank and character in the literary world-unlefs, perhaps, we except the moft learned and ingenious author of the "Divine Legation of Mofes." Both have fallen under the invidious imputation of fcepticifm: and the religious profeffions of both have been equally dfcreditedeither by ignorance, which could not comprehend the tenor of arguments that were not confined to the common and beaten track of fpeculation and logic; or by envy--which, when it fails to deftroy a man's claims to learning and genius, will torture its invention, and Scripture too, to make his religion queftionable.'

Dr. Priestley, he afterwards adds, has been accused of a defign the most oppofite to his wifhes; and that is, to fubvert the doctrine of a future ftate. His enemies-for as a Prefbyterian he hath many-and as a Socinian more-have preci

pitately caught at the charge: and fome of them were not deftitute of that cunning and addrefs which were juft fufficient to give it the credit they defired. The fwarm of Atheistic Libertines, who are not qualified to reason about religion, but only to vilify it, because it is a check on their views, were very eager to adopt as a truth, what his enemies had exhibited as an accufation. They were happy to enroll the name of Priestley in the catalogue of those heroic writers, who, fcorning an accommodation with religion, had nobly rejected, in the greatness of their fouls, both its duties and its fanctions; and having reprefented virtue as the mere creature of cuftom and polity, had given up a future ftate as the dream of fuperftition, or the artifice of prieftcraft.'

The perfons whofe writings relative to Dr. Priestley's metaphyfical and religious opinions are more particularly noticed in this fketch, are-that original character, the Priest of Nature, John Buncle, Efq;-the Rev. David Williams, the Preacher in Margaret-Street,' who hath only the fecondary honour of coming after John Buncle, Efq;' in this high and felf-appointed office; the memorable Mr. James Seton ;-the Notorious' -envenomed old Jacobite,' Shebbeare;-Mr. Jofeph Berrington; the late Dr. Kenrick;-a Christian;—Mr. Whitehead; Dr. Horfley;-Dr. Price ;-Philalethes Rufticans ;-Dr. Duncan; the mighty "Vindicator of the Church of England," and one or two others.-After briefly reviewing, with much fpirit, and occafionally with humour, the opinions or views of the controvertifts, the Author difcuffes the true point in debate between Dr, Priestley and his more fober and rational opponents; principally, to ufe his own words, with a view to convince the Infidel, that Dr. Priestley is no partizan of his cause, no advocate for any doctrine that hath the most remote tendency to unfettle the laws or fanctions of religion: but on the contrary, that he hath exerted his best talents in fixing them on the only foundation on which they can fecurely ftand,-and that is, the GOSPEL of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, whofe refurrection ALONE "hath begotten us again to a lively hope of an inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away."

ART. VII. Letters on the Utility and Policy of employing Machines to fhorten Labour; occafioned by the late Disturbances in Lancashire. To which are added, fome Hints for the farther Extenfion and Improvement of our Woollen Trade and Manufactures. 8vo. Is. Becket. 1780.

HE fubject of thefe Letters forms a confiderable branch of

TH that useful fcience which explains the principles and

caufes of the populousness and wealth of nations. The prac

tice of this fcience, fo peculiarly interefting to mankind, is better understood in England than it was by any of the ancient, and than it is by all the modern nations of Europe. Yet by fome unaccountable fatality, which it is almoft as difficult to believe as to explain, there is fcarcely any civilifed people who have paid less attention to the theory of political economy than the generality of the inhabitants of this ifland. The name we have borrowed from the French, as they did from the Greeks; which tends to prove that our continental neighbours preceded us in examining this branch of study; and it is well known that they had established innumerable focieties for cultivating it, and had published many voluminous works, containing the result of their reasonings and inquiries; while in England, this important science was comprehended within the narrow limits of a few imperfect treatifes, which merit our attention rather from the particular facts they relate, than from the general principles which they explain.

But refpecting this branch of knowledge, as well as many others, it may be obferved, that what the French have begun or invented, the English have improved and carried to perfection. We can now boast of two writers in our own language, whose fuperior merit is allowed by the general confent of Europe, and even of the French themselves, to raise them above the whole clafs of French economists +; and whofe penetration and ability have defcribed the internal ftructure of the political edifice, with a degree of perfpicuity and of force, which is equally inftructive and convincing. The reader, who has paid any attention to the philofophical principles of government, will immediately recollect the names of Hume and Smith, whofe writings, by a felicity rarely allotted to the productions of this ifland, have paffed the feas in fafety and with honour; have acquired one uniform character among the thinking part of mankind in every country which they have reached; and while decried by the ignorant prejudice, clamorous faction, and fuperftitious bigotry of a particular party at home, have obtained the general fuffrage of philofophers in every corner of Europe. The great principles of the ceconomical fcience are fo ably and fo copiously explained by thefe invaluable writers 1, that

* Davenant's Difcourfes, Petty's Political Arithmetic, Mun, Gee, Law, Child on Trade.

The writers upon economy lo called.

With Hume's "Effays," and Smith's "Caufes of National Wealth," we might clafs Sir James Stuart's work on "Political Economy," if the low and incorrect ftyle and careless arrange ment of that performance did not difgrace the fenfible obfervations, and deep, yet folid reasonings with which it abounds.

REV. Mar, 1780.

it

it is fcarcely poffible to add any new information of importance upon this interefting fubject. All that remains to be done, and it is what the judicious Author of the pamphlet before us seems to have done with fuccefs, is to apply thefe principles to particular cafes, to call them forth as occafion may require, and to prefent, them in fuch a point of view as may appear most striking to those whose conduct they are meant to influence. That our Readers may judge of this matter for themselves, we shall infert a fpecimen of the work, where, speaking of the benefit refulting from the employing of machines, the Author in a plain and popular style, proceeds thus:

To illustrate this fubject, and make it, if poffible, fill plainer, let us fuppofe that there were only two woollen manufactories in this nation, and no foreign commerce; that one of these manufactories was fituated in the north, and the other in the fouth; that they employed each coo hands; that provifions were nearly at the fame price in both parts of the kingdom, and they made the fame kinds of goods. If thefe manufactories were 200 miles afunder, their markets would meet about half way, and neither of them would expect to fell their goods beyond this natural line; because the expence of carriage would be against the manufacture that was fent beyond these limits. Let us fuppofe, however, proviñons to rife in the fouth, and confequently the price of labour to rife there alfo; but both to remain the fame as at first in the north. The northern manufactory would foon gain upon the fouthern markets, and instead of 100, would gradually fupply 110, 115, 120, &c. miles, while the space the fouthern manufactory could fupply would gradually contract to 90 miles, 85 miles, 80 miles, &c. fo that the demand there would be daily diminishing, and the people would begin to leave the fouth, and go into the north for employment, where the demand would be conftantly increafing; and inftead of icoo, they would have employment for 1500 people, while the other manufactory could scarcely employ 5co. The cheapnefs of the goods made in the north would in time draw all the demand thither, as well as the work-people; and if no measures were taken to prevent it, the fouthern manufactory would go to ruin, and the other would, on the contrary, increase and be established. All this might be effected, and would certainly be effected by an advantage in the price of labour, if no steps were taken to counteract that effect; but we will fuppofe when the southern manufactory was confiderably diminished, an intelligent manufacturer, who had both invention and tafte, contrived a fhuttle, by means of which one man could do the work of two, in the coarfe goods, and that he likewife made feveral improvements in the colours and patterns of the finer goods; and that the people, inflead of abufing him and breaking his fhuttles, fpeedily adopted them, and imitated him in his other improvements; in this cafe, as the coarse goods could be made much cheaper, though each separate weaver was paid more for his personal labour, and the fine goods were much more acceptable by being more beautiful, the demand for both would foon retura to the fouth, that for the coarfe cheap goods would confider

ably

ably increase; the double quantity of work performed on the coarse articles would all be fold, as the goods would be much cheaper than those that were made at the other manufactory of the fame kinds; and double the number of looms being now fet up, they would not only employ all the weavers that half the number employed before, but twice the number of work-people, depending upon the quantity of yarn worked up. Twice the quantity of wool would be wanted; twice the quantity of carding; twice the quantity of fpinning, &c. fo that the number of people employed by this fingle invention would be exceedingly increafed, and this manufactory would more than counterbalance the low price of labour in the north; fo far even as to draw back the people that had gone thither from the other, and in return endanger the ruin of the northern manufactory; where every thing and perfon depending upon the manufactory would languilh, and the country be greatly diftreffed.

If, upon an attempt to introduce the fhuttles into the northern manufactory; upon a decline of trade, the mistaken people, instead of receiving them with joy, fhould rife in mobs, and break them to pieces, the total deftruction of their manufactory would probably be the confequence, while that in the fouth would rival them at their own doors, and get all their work-people and their customers.

By this prudent conduct the fouthern manufactory would become famous: but should the northern manufactory overcome their prejudices before the people were entirely difperfed, their business might revive; they would have fome advantage in the lower price of labour; they would probably fucceed well in the low-priced goods; while thofe in the fouth would be most famous for the fine; and in this ftate the country would become famous, and an extenfive foreign commerce might be established and fupported to the benefit of the nation for many years. It would however be limited and counteracted by foreign rivals, fometimes lofing and fometimes gaining ground, as the varying price of labour and exertions of ingenuity hould reciprocally take place; and if the price of labour fhould gradually rife in this country more than in the neighbouring nations, many articles might be loft; we might be beaten out of fome diftant markets, and the manufactory might gradually decline from this circumftance of the price of labour only.

Fourthly. But fuppofing the goods to be well and skilfully manufactured, and a very extenfive commerce eftablished; fuppofing likewife the advancing price of labour was in fome measure counterbalanced by the aid of machines, and peculiar care and skill in finishing the goods, yet it is poffible that by a very general and unsuccessful war, by the advanced prices of freight, infurance, &c. our manufactories might experience unufual difficulties, and be in great danger of ruin for want of foreign markets to which our manufacturers could have access.

In fuch a state of things, which I am forry to obferve is nearly our prefent condition, what is to be done? Are we to fit tamely down, and view with idle and ineffectual lamentations our approaching diftreffes? Or must we exert ourselves like men, and refolve by the molt rational means to avoid them? It will answer no

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